Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
RV Trip Planning Discussions

Go Back   iRV2 Forums > TRAVEL TRAILER, 5th WHEEL & TRUCK CAMPER FORUMS > Trailer Towing and Tow Vehicles Discussion
Click Here to Login
Join iRV2 Today

Mission Statement: Supporting thoughtful exchange of knowledge, values and experience among RV enthusiasts.
Reply
  This discussion is proudly sponsored by:
Please support our sponsors and let them know you heard about their products on iRV2
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 08-30-2007, 06:53 PM   #1
Member
 
retired_ranger's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Blue River, oregon
Posts: 74
I have been towing my 2000 crossroads for two years now off and on and I get mixed reviews. I tow with a 5.9 dodge diesel, stock motor except with KM filter setup. Rig weighs in at 10,600 empty. When I tow should I tow in overdrive or out of overdrive. One friend says he never tows out of overdrive and another say always tow out of overdrive to keep the RPMs up. What do you say?
retired_ranger is offline   Reply With Quote
Join the #1 RV Forum Today - It's Totally Free!

iRV2.com RV Community - Are you about to start a new improvement on your RV or need some help with some maintenance? Do you need advice on what products to buy? Or maybe you can give others some advice? No matter where you fit in you'll find that iRV2 is a great community to join. Best of all it's totally FREE!

You are currently viewing our boards as a guest so you have limited access to our community. Please take the time to register and you will gain a lot of great new features including; the ability to participate in discussions, network with other RV owners, see fewer ads, upload photographs, create an RV blog, send private messages and so much, much more!

Old 08-30-2007, 06:53 PM   #2
Member
 
retired_ranger's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Blue River, oregon
Posts: 74
I have been towing my 2000 crossroads for two years now off and on and I get mixed reviews. I tow with a 5.9 dodge diesel, stock motor except with KM filter setup. Rig weighs in at 10,600 empty. When I tow should I tow in overdrive or out of overdrive. One friend says he never tows out of overdrive and another say always tow out of overdrive to keep the RPMs up. What do you say?
retired_ranger is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-30-2007, 07:29 PM   #3
Senior Member
 
Jeff_in_The_Dalles's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: The Dalles, Oregon
Posts: 544
I'm not a big auto tranny guy (or expert) but for me if you start seeing the torque converter unlock, or if it starts hunting around then I'd lock it out of OD.

Cummins also considers running 5.9 with a load below 1600 RPM to be lugging, and to be avoided...
__________________
Dodge Ram dually laramie 4x4 w/jake, B&W, Brakesmart.
Kit Patio Hauler 394F toyhauler 5th wheel
Camo 680 Rincon, Green 500 Foreman, Blk twincam Roadking
Jeff_in_The_Dalles is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-31-2007, 03:43 AM   #4
Senior Member
 
WA4SLC's Avatar
 
Appalachian Campers
Coastal Campers
Carolina Campers
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Washington, NC, USA
Posts: 243
I always tow with the OD on. I have 4:10 gears and I don't have a problem keeping the RPMs up on the highway. I am turning right at 2000 RPM at 65, so that is where I keep it on the road. When I get in town or in the hills and mountains I will have to take it out of OD to keep from lugging and keep the EGTs down.

Bill
__________________
Bill & Camillla
Thor Four Winds 31L Class C and Jeep Wrangler Unlimited
WA4SLC is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-31-2007, 04:23 AM   #5
Senior Member
 
Roam America's Avatar
 
Texas Boomers Club
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: Somewhere in the lower 48
Posts: 2,308
The consensus that I have read in many forums is this:

As long as the tranny is not searching (continually shifting up and down) then leave it in OD. In my previous truck, I would take it out of OD when I started driving on tertiary roads. On the Hiways and Biways, I left it in OD unless it started searching.
__________________
John, Joyce and Zoie (our 17# Guard Dog)
2018 Ford F-450 KR / 2019 Mobile Suites 40KSSB4
Fulltiming since 2008 and loving it
Roam America is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-31-2007, 05:06 AM   #6
Junior Member
 
cdrcos's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Vadnais Heights, MN
Posts: 29
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by K-Star:
The consensus that I have read in many forums is this:

As long as the tranny is not searching (continually shifting up and down) then leave it in OD. In my previous truck, I would take it out of OD when I started driving on tertiary roads. On the Hiways and Biways, I left it in OD unless it started searching. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Agreed. I tow a 12,500# fifth wheel with a Ford F-350 diesel and always tow in overdrive. Went to Colorado this summer and the TV would just downshift on the hills and there wasn't even any hunting.
__________________
Joe & Barb

2002 F-350 PSD, CC, 4x4,
cdrcos is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-31-2007, 05:17 AM   #7
Administrator in Memoriam
 
Hitchhiker's Avatar


 
Appalachian Campers
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: Buladean, NC
Posts: 8,126
My truck has the 6 speed Alison automatic which the top two gears are overdrives. I turn on the tow/haul switch and let the tranny's software do it's thing. It won't stay in the top 6th gear unless I'm going over 58 or 59 mph because the computer senses that the rpm's would be below the peak torque.

When ascending or descending the steep grades here in Western NC, I use the 'M' position on the shifter which opens up a selection of gears 1 2 3 4 5 6. I'll select the appropriate gear to pull or ascend the grade and just leave it there until the grade is passed. Then I go back to the 'D' position and set the cruise control on the flat, low traffic highways.

My trailer weighs 16,300# loaded, so far I've had no issues using the overdrives.
__________________
'11 GMC Acadia SLT AWD
'11 GMC Sierra 1500 4x4 Extended Cab
Hitchhiker is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-01-2007, 05:15 AM   #8
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Columbia,SC, 29223 USA
Posts: 101
My 5er weighs 10,600 too. I tow in OD all the time. I watch my EGT and RPM and try to shift out of OD before the transmission does it for me. I have my transmission control, DTT Smart Box, on when towing as it keeps the tranny locked up in 3rd until the truck exceeds 55 mph where it shifts to OD.
__________________
Retired Navy. 2001 Quad Cab 2500 Auto w/4:10 rear end. PRXB Pac Brake. Miller Manufacturing Truck Bed Cover and Rigged to tow a 1995 29' Automate 5th wheel with 1 slide out
cwsoules is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-01-2007, 06:00 AM   #9
Member
 
Bosscummins's Avatar
 
Fleetwood Owners Club
Freightliner Owners Club
LA Gulf Coast Campers
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Louisiana
Posts: 31
I just recently traded my 5.9 for the 6.7 but i always left it in OD & used the tow / houl mode. My 5r weighs in at just under 12500 and have never had a problem. The 48RE trans is a very reliable transmission nad tends to take care of itself as for downshifting when needed.
__________________
2017 Fleetwood Discovery 38-K, 2016 RAM Rebel Toad, & a Lovely Wife.
Bosscummins is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-19-2007, 03:41 AM   #10
Junior Member
 
dixoncider's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 18
O/D on unless the trans is hunting between gears. The cummins makes its HP at low rpm turning the O/D off may take you out of the HP range you want.
__________________
1994 Ram 2500

2006 Ram 3500 Mega-Cab Jake Brake
dixoncider is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-18-2007, 04:59 AM   #11
Senior Member
 
CoastalDav's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Melbourne, Florida
Posts: 119
I've got one of them Hard Boxes with a handle on it for shifting with 182,000 miiles on it. Still have original clutch in it.

Up until this year Dodge did not have an automatic that was good for towing. Thats why I use a manual tranny. All my other trucks were auto's. At least this year you can get a six speed auto. I still don't trust the one from Dodge, but the other one in the commercial trucks comes with a 180,000 mile/3 year warranty, no questions asked. (4500/5500)

So in my opinion, if your going to use an older automatic for towing you should do one of three things if you have either a 3:55 or 3:73 rear ratio;

Get an underdrive unit that will make at least a 4:30 gear ratio and save you tall gears for running light or;

Change your gear ratio to at least 4:10. Doing that is not a bad thing, you just have to slow down a few mph with the cummins to get the same mpg you now getting. You'll find you'll get much better fuel mileage towing than you do now with your 3:73 or 3:55 ratio. Most 3500's with
Six speed manuals with 4:10's get 12.5 towing
16,000lb fifth wheels. Some do better depending on how fast you tow or;

Tow in 3rd gear if you want your tranny to last.

Cummins will tell you, you should be tuning 2200-2300 rpms if your towing at hyw speeds.

Dave
__________________
2001 Supercruizer, Cat Power &16 RAM 3500 Laramie, Dually, Bed Tank, Air Hitch, Air Bags, In cab controller
2008 Carriage, Carriage. IS, Disc Brakes, Bigfoot, , Full Timer Since 2011, CTC 17771
CoastalDav is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply



Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Overdrive on not? melvonnar MH-General Discussions & Problems 5 03-10-2009 09:34 PM
Overdrive question JWatkins Workhorse and Chevrolet Chassis Motorhome Forum 21 01-04-2008 11:42 AM
Overdrive AndyG Ford Motorhome Chassis Forum 12 08-01-2007 05:48 AM
Spedometer & Overdrive Jimbo8264 Newmar Owner's Forum 3 06-20-2006 03:34 AM
Overdrive question supercub Workhorse and Chevrolet Chassis Motorhome Forum 8 11-04-2005 03:34 PM

» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 08:40 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.